Wedge key block



Sept. 22, 1931. w. J. MILLER ET AL WEDGE KEY BLOCK Filed Au 31, 1929 k w 1 m m My Li &

gwomtow g 1!! m J M25261: E R. Jana,

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 1 UNITED jsrArEs PATENT orifice;

WIL IA 'J. MrLLEn-AND ro nnns r a. JONES, or sU'LrnURQLoUIsIAnA, n ssreivons or,

rnnnn-rounrns 'ro WMLJ. MILLER AND onn rounrn-ro roImEsrR. 'JoNns WEDGEKEY BLOCK Application filed Au ust'si; 1929. SeriaINo. 389,836. i

This invention relates to a wedge key block, and has for one of its objects to provide a novel, simple and highly efficient'device of this character which, while capable of general application, shall be especiallyadapted to be used for the purpose ofkeying the foundation timbers of oil field drilling engines. Y

' The invention has fora further object to provide a wedge key block ofythe character stated which will notbecome accidentally displaced from the timbers and whichwill posiaration. a v i The invention hasfor a 'further object to provide a wedge key block of the character stated which shall be adaptedto be readily applied to or removed from a the timbers, which shall be adapted to' be V removed without damage to any part thereof, and which may be manufactured and-sold at a comparatively low'cost. p 1

-With the'foregoingvand other objects in view, the nature of which will-appear as the description proceeds,.the inventionconsists in the construction, combination and arrange ment of parts hereinafter full-ydescribedand claimed, and illustratedinthe accompanying drawings, wherein i i Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the applieation of the wedge-key block;

Figure 2 is a vie'winend elevation of the wedge key block;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on a horizontal plane extending longitudinally and centrally through the wedge key block;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 8; and a Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the wedge of the wedge key block.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate fragmentary portions of two of the foundation timbers of an oil field drilling engine, and 3 the wedge key block by which the notched ends of the timbers are maintained in interlocking engagement.

The wedge key block comprises members or castings 4 and 5 of angular or L'formation in plan. The sides 4a and 5a of the castings 4 and 5 are arranged in parallel relation, and

tively hold thetimbers against accidental septhey are provided at their outer surfaces with pyramidal projections or lugs 6. The'end 4b of the casting 4"extends therefrom in ther-direction of and contacts with the free terminal of the side 5a, and theend'5b of the side 5a extends therefrom in the direction of and 'contacts with-the free terminal of the side 4a.

Thesides 4a and 5a are provided at their inin the directionof the sides of the plates. Each of the sides is provided with two of the 'ribs, and the ribs 'of'each side area'rranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal A wedge'll is arrangedvvbetween and in contact with the ribs and the side 4 and the ribs 8 of the side 5a, and it is maintained in contact with the ribs by the flanges 9.

The wedge'll is of hollow formation and comprises'parallel plates 11a and end blocks i 116.] Theside edges of the 'plates'llwcon- 1 verge'in thedirection of one end of the wedge 11, and arearranged to contact with the ribs 7 and '8. The'blocks 11?) are" arranged between the plates 11a and are provided with openings 12 which are arranged in align- Inent with'e'ach'othe'r and with openings 13 in the ends 4?) and 56/ 1' J- The wedge 11,," which consists of asingle casting, is shorter than the sides 4a-and 5a,

and it i's adapted to 'be adjusted longitudinally with respect thereto through the medi'um of' bolts' 14 and nuts 15,}which also serve to maintain the members 4 and 5 and r the wedge-11in assembled relation, The

bolts 14 pass through theopenings' 13 in" the -ner surfaces with ribs 7 and 8, respectively, which extend longitudinallv thereof and have inclined inner or opposing surfaces merging a ends 4?) and through the fopningslZinthe 'blocks '11?) and have their headsarranged outwardly of said ends. j -The'nuts' laare a mounted upon the bolts 14 andcontact with the inner o'r opposing'sides of the blocksl'l'b.

The members 4 and 5 constitute an expansible andfcontractible, block. To effect the expansion of th'eblock, vit is only necessary to move the wedge 11inone directionzlongiapplied to the heads of the bolts 14. The

wedge 11 is, during the adjustment thereof, held against transverse displacement from the ribs 7 "and 8 by the guide flanges 9. e The device is applied between the timbers 1 and 2 with the block in contracted conof the block.

each block member 4a and 5a are'relatively spaced, and as the Wedge 11 is of hollow V V formation, the device may be easily and .lar members having theirsides arranged in cheaply manufactured; As all parts of the parallel relation and provided withvconvergdition, as shown in Figure 1. After the -device is applied, the block is expanded through the medium of the wedge 11, with the result "that the notched ends of the timbers 1 and '2 are movedinto and firmly held in interlocking engagement. During the expansion of the block, the projections 6 of thesides 4a and 5a of the block are embedded in the timt-bers 1 and 2, with the result that the timbers and the device are held against any accidental relative movement. The openin gs l-3'are larger diametrically than the bolts 14' -to permit the expansion and contraction *As ear-:11 block member 4 and c5 and the wedge l'l consists of a casting, as'the ribs of device are made from metal, and as the guide flanges 9 prevent buckling of the wedge 11,

the device may be applied and removedwithout-damage to any part thereof.

'' Whilewe have described the principle of the invention together with the structure which we now consider the prefer-redembodiment thereof, it is 'to be understoodthat the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may. be made, when desired, as :fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. We cla1m:-

1. A wedge key block comprising'angular' Y members having their sides arranged in parallel relation and provided at the inner surfaces'th'ereof with converging ribs, the ends of the members being provided with openings and the end of one member contacting with the adjacent terminal ofthe'side of the other member, a hollow wedge arranged between and in sliding :contact with-the ribs and provided at its ends with openings, bolts passing through the openings in the ends of the members and wedge, and nuts mounted upon the bolts and contacting with the inner sides of the ends of the wedge. j

.A wedge key block comprising angular members having their sides arranged in par- "allel relation and provided at their inner surfaces'with converging ribs, each side being providedwith a pair of the ribs and the signatures.

' firstme-nibers.

.A wedge key block comprising angular members having their sides arranged in parallel relation. and provided at the inner surfaces thereof with converging ribs, the ends of the members being provided with open- .ingsrand the end of one member contacting with the adjacent terminal of the side of the 'blocks.

4. A wedge key block, comprising anguinginner surfaces, the end of one member extending in the direction of the side of the other member, a wedge arranged between and contacting with said convergingsurfaces, and wedge adjusting members engaged with the wedge and with the ends of said first members, said wedge adjusting members maintaining said first members and 'thewedge in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof we hereuntoaflix our WiLLIAM J. MILLER. FORREST R. JONES' 

